


Dream a Good Dream - 좋은 꿈 꿔 (Jo eun kkom kowh) - A JB OneShot

by Jb2ndMom



Category: GOT7, JJ Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Depression, Gen, Historical Fantasy, Josen Era, References to Depression, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-06-26 14:14:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15664833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jb2ndMom/pseuds/Jb2ndMom
Summary: Jaebeom, the leader of GOT7 is struggling with depression and a feeling that he's missing out on the happiness that others seem to come by so easily. Can Jaebeom find inner happiness and peace after traveling through time to the past? A time travel story involving Im Jaebeom of GOT7.





	Dream a Good Dream - 좋은 꿈 꿔 (Jo eun kkom kowh) - A JB OneShot

**Author's Note:**

> I keep having the coolest GOT7 dreams ever! This is based on one I recently had. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. As always, I appreciate comments and feedback.

                                             

Jaebeom waited to board the plane from LA to Incheon. As often was the case, he wore torn jeans, and oversized shirt, sun glasses, and one of his favorite bucket caps. Hiding behind the rim of the cap and the shades, he felt protected from the stares of others.

 

Jaebeom made his way towards the first class cabin. His ear buds were in place, but no music was playing. They were strictly ornamental to ward off conversation; even conversation from the rest of the GOT7 members. Taking a seat, he glance out the window and sighed heavily.

GOT7 had just completed the US leg of their World Tour. They had one stop in Miami, one in Atlanta, two in New York, two in Chicago, two cities in Texas, and they just wrapped up two shows in LA. They did get a three day break which was spent with Mark's family, but Jaebeom was restless and ready to get back to Korea and their final two days of shows in Seoul.

Glancing at the other members, the leader noted that Jackson, Bambam, and Yugyeom were cutting up. Basically the Three Musketeers were having a blast, though the content of their comedic routine seemed somewhat juvenile and superfluous to Jaebeom. As usual, Mark was on the sidelines. He was the d'Artagnan of the group for lack of a better analogy, happy to observe without having to actually participate in all the Tom-foolery. To his left he noted Youngjae had already taken out his tablet and was watching a video, probably by one of his favorite YouTubers, and was laughing out loud with obvious mirth. On his right, he observed Jinyoung had a book open and was quietly thumbing his way through the tome; a gently smile playing on his lips and causing crinkles around his eyes.

Again, Jaebeom sighed deeply. Momentarily he reflected that he wasn't like the others. They all seemed happy and content, while he harbored a secret. He rarely felt joy; at least not pure joy like the others seemed to. Sure there were moments when he was relatively happy, like when a particularly difficult vocal piece came out just right, or when he working on a dance routine and was in the zone, but generally Jaebeom felt his emotions would be best described as flat.

Like all the members, Jaebeom regularly had his photo taken, whether it was during a variety show, for a photo shoot, during a concert or fan sign, on the way to and from an event, as well as those candid shots. It was easy to tell how Jaebeom really felt; if you looked for it that is. The leader of the group smirked a bit, thinking about how his acting skills were actually pretty good. He was able to fake a smile that even made its way to his eyes when the situation called for it. He was able to joke around and do all the things that made it look like he was happy, but many of the candid shots showed the truth.

Jaebeom's "relaxed" face was always serious. In fact, many admitted that he frightened or intimidated them because of this particularly somber and serious presentation. Others commented that he looked morose or downright sad. The fans and even those closest to him would be surprised to find out that this was exactly how he regularly felt and, if truth be told, that reality frightened and intimidated him a bit too. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that he was longing for more. He just didn't know how to generate those feelings or where they came from. He mostly lived vicariously through the other members, wishing he could feel half the joy they did on a bad day.

Kicking off his shoes and settling in for the long flight home, Jaebeom finally took off his shades and, instead, tipped his hat further forward covering his face.

Jinyoung looked over at Jaebeom and cocked an eye brow. He'd heard his friend sighing and was worried. He never let on, but he knew Jaebeom wasn't happy. There were times he even wondered if Jaebeom was suffering from clinical depression and regularly debated with himself about whether he should say something or not. In the end, he chose to keep a close eye on his friend, just to make sure he didn't do anything that would result in self harm.

Jaebeom smiled at Jinyoung, willed the expression to his eyes, and gave a thumbs up. Only after Jinyoung returned to his book, did Jaebeom relax his face again. How he longed for companionship that could reach his soul. He'd talked briefly about this with the younger dark-haired member who had confessed similar desires, but who was able to gain some respite from the yearning through characters on a page and through acting. Jaebeom didn't want an imaginary relationship. He wanted a living breathing one. When he read, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the characters to "sound" like anyone but himself, so the experience never transcended the pages.

As he relaxed in the oversized seat, the fatigue from the tour schedule caught up with Jaebeom almost instantly and he found himself drifting off into sleep. Just before fully succumbing to slumber he heard a whooshing sound and the ringing of bells which seemed incongruous with the aircraft setting, but he was too far gone to care and investigate.

It must have been hours later when Jaebeom awoke feeling truly rested for the first time in years. Not wanting to dispel the sensation, he kept his eye closed a while longer. He could feel the heat of the sun against his face and a cool breeze flutter past. The feeling of silky bedding embraced him. As he stretched his muscles to awaken his body, he took a deep breath. The smell that accompanied this action was something he hadn't anticipated on a plane. It smelled like horses, kimchi, and male bodies in need of a wash. Opening his eyes, Jaebeom felt instantly disoriented and sat bolt upright with a start.

This wasn't the plane en route to Seoul. Jaebeom shook his head in an effort to dispel the cobwebs from his head. No luck. He tried slapping his cheeks too, but the scene didn't change. He knew he must be sleeping, so he lay back down and willed himself to wake up. After a bit, he tried opening his eyes again.

What came into view was both eerily familiar and yet frighteningly out of whack. Jinyoung was sleeping on a mat to his side, book discarded at his side, while Youngjae was near his feet humming a tune in his sleep. To his other side, Yugyeom and Bambam were a tangled mass of arms and legs. Meanwhile, Jackson was intermittently snoring and talking in his sleep. Jaebeom noted wryly that the Hong Kong member didn't even shut up when he was zonked out and Youngjae even sang in his sleep. Mark was swatting at Jackson in his sleep, as if trying to get the younger one to shut up.

Everyone seemed to be their normal selves, but the setting was so far off that Jaebeom didn't know how to reconcile what he saw. He glanced around the room taking in the polished wooden floors and red painted wooden pillars in the corners. There were ornate drawings of scenes from a time long past on the walls and door sliders, reminding him of visits he had taken as a youth to the royal palace in Seoul.

Jaebeom noted that hanging near him was a uniform straight out of a Joseon Kdrama. Looking down at his clothing, he realized the smell he had detected earlier came from him! As a neat freak, Jaebeom often took several showers a day given the work outs they did and the mandatory makeup regimen. This was almost more than he could bear. He had apparently gone to sleep wearing the undergarments worn beneath the uniform without as much as a rinse off!

The other members stirred at the action of their leader. Jackson yawned and stretched. The first to wake as a self professed "morning person", his mouth went into action before his brain kicked in.

"Captain?" he inquired. "Why are you up so early? Do you have a meeting with the King?"

Though he understood the words, the meaning made no sense to Jaebeom. Captain? King? Just what was going on here?

Not trusting himself or his words, Jaebeom just shook his head and slowly got up. He really needed to use the restroom. Now all he had to do was find it. Turning from side to side, searching for anything that would give him a clue, he was thankful when Yugyeom stood up, scratched his privates and announced to no one in particular that he needed to pee. Jaebeom, thankfully followed the giant maknae.

Returning from the restroom, which wasn't much more than a hole in the ground, Jaebeom found the members getting dressed and ready for the day. Jackson was in midstream of a conversation recounting the events of the prior evening. For once, Jaebeom was glad of his nonstop chatter, as it was helping to fill in the gaps that he was apparently missing.

"And then when you were hit on the head," Jackson continued, "we thought you were done for. But, your temper took over and you dispatched him quickly after that."

"Speaking of getting hit on the head," Jinyoung chimed in, "How's your head feeling this morning?"

Known to be a great leader and quick on his feet, Jaebeom took advantage of the situation immediately. "Actually, I'm feeling quite a bit disoriented. Like everything around me is new and different. I saw a few people coming back from relieving myself. They seemed to know me, but I wasn't able to recognize them."

"Heck, Captain!" exclaimed Bambam. "Everyone knows you. Doesn't mean you know them though. If your bell was rung like that though, just be your usual self and glare at them. They'll not dare to question you. As long as you bow to the King and his family I'm sure you'll recover eventually."

Mark noted that it was time for the troops to eat, so led the way out of the room. No surprise that he was on task when it came to food. Approaching what was apparently the designated eating area, Jaebeom tried to hang back a bit so he could figure out what was going on and what was expected of him.

"Jaebeom-ah?" inquired Jinyoung, when out of earshot of the others. "What's really wrong?"

Jinyoung was his closest and oldest friend. Though younger than Jaebeom by over half a year, Jaebeom allowed him to use informal speech when it was just the two of them. Jinyoung usually refrained from doing so even then, unless it was something pretty serious. Jinyoung was very studious and always able to read Jaebeom. In fact, the leader knew his friend had been worrying about him for some time but pretended he didn't know as there was nothing he could have said to ease the younger's concerns. This time wasn't much different, but he needed help and he needed it now.

"We need to talk," Jaebeom whispered. "But it's gonna sound crazy. I need your help and I'm worried about how the others will take it. After breakfast pull me aside with some excuse. We need a quite place where we won't be interrupted and, as crazy as it sounds, I don't know my way around here so you'll have to lead the way."

Jinyoung nodded that he understood, though a look of concern flashed across his face before he regained control of his countenance.

Breakfast was simple yet delicious. Jaebeom had always enjoyed Korean food and had missed it while in the States. He had never tasted some of the flavors he experienced this morning though, and really scarfed down the rice and side dishes.

After the meal, as previous discussed, Jinyoung came up with some elaborate ruse that required him and Jaebeom to be gone for the better part of the day – alone.

The two men headed to the stables. Jaebeom was thankful for the riding lessons he had taken as part of his JYPE acting classes. He found it a bit of a challenge mounting the horse in the heavy material that made up his outer garment.

The boots weren't all that comfortable as the sock like garment bunched up in them. His pants were comfortably baggy. The over coat layer was, however, overly warm for the weather. He did, however, truly appreciate the hat and wondered momentarily if he could get away with wearing one such as it instead of his regular bucket caps and snap backs. A small giggle escaped his lips at this thought which cause Jinyoung to fix him with a worried glance as they rode off.

After about a 20 minute ride in silence, Jinyoung stopped in an open clearing overlooking the city. Jaebeom swung off his horse, feeling the pull of muscles unaccustomed to riding. How strange to feel that way, he thought, when he could dance all day and never feel overly exerted.

Jinyoung gathered the reigns from both of the horses and tethered them to a nearby tree. Spreading out a rough blanket and laying out some food he had managed to squirrel away from the breakfast table, he sat down and looked up at his captain.

Jinyoung was patient if nothing else. He knew that something was really troubling Jaebeom. He also knew that Jaebeom would share it with him when he was ready. To push him would delay things. As always, Jaebeom liked to be in control and feeling put on the spot caused him to push back and resist.

Finally, after a few minutes of pacing, Jaebeom sat down next to Jinyoung.

"Jinyoungie," the elder started, hoping it was a term of endearment used in this time, "I need you to humor me for a bit and tell me how we became friends, how I became Captain, and well anything and everything else."

Jaebeom sounded serious. He wasn't one to jest or waste time, so Jinyoung knew immediately that whatever was wrong with the elder was a really serious problem. Without need for additional prompting, the younger recounted their beginnings as members of the royal guard, Jaebeom's superior tactical skills catching the eye of the King, and his appointment as Captain of the King's guard three years earlier when the former captain was found to be working with the King's brother-in-law in an attempted overthrow to take the crown.

Jinyoung watched Jaebeom carefully as he explained everything, noting that each detail was being heard for the first time by his captain. Taking a pause in his story telling, Jinyoung poured some water for both to drink.

"This is all new to you, isn't it?" noted Jinyoung.

"Yes," stated Jaebeom flatly in response, thankful for Jinyoung's intuitiveness and ability to allow him a chance to formulate his thoughts without interruption.

"I know this is going to sound crazy but..." Jaebeom began to tell how he knew each of them but several hundred years in the future. He explained that they traveled the world dancing and singing in a boy group known as GOT7 and that they had been on a return flight to Seoul when he had awaken here.

Jaebeom needed to elaborate on a few things like what Kpop was, and this whole flying stuff, but thankfully Jinyoung's imagination was such that he could readily suspend reality and accept the strange and wonderful tale told by his senior.

When Jaebeom finished speaking, Jinyoung stared at him in wonder for a moment before comment, "So no matter the time and the place, you are still our leader and we're still best friends? I like that. It makes sense to me. So what we need to figure out now is what? How to get you back to your time? Or is it more important to find out if there is something here that will make you happy."

This last part was more of a statement than a question, as Jaebeom's unhappiness had not been exactly specified but rather gleaned by the astute observations of the younger man.

Nothing like Jinyoung boiling things down to the basics. In reality, though Jaebeom felt like a fish out of water and wanted to get back to what he considered his normal time, he didn't miss the possibility that he would find happiness here while it had escaped him up until now in the 21 century.

"How about both?" replied Jaebeom after serious contemplation. He glanced sideways at his friend, looking so see if there was any judgment, given that he basically admitted for the first time that he had not been happy.

"Okay then," said Jinyoung with a nod. "First things first. We need to see if you have any skills that will make you a decent Captain of the Guard. I wouldn't want you killed while we figured things out and it can get a bit dicey around here some time. This means we'll have to let the others in on what's going on so they can watch your back in the meantime. Jackson is the expert with the saber. Bambam and I are best with the bow. Yugyeom does well with the spear and Youngjae with hand to hand combat. His blow is lethal. Mark and you are more into swords. It's your tactical skills that really make you shine as well as your imposing personality. More than a fair number have run away just with a single glare."

"Okay. If you say so," Jaebeom laughed. "The glare I can manage. It's kind of my specialty back in my time too. Jackson is an expert with the saber there as well. I can see Yugyeom with a spear. Youngjae always hits hard, but it usually is when he's laughing and he slaps you on the back. He can take down anyone. The others... Well that's a bit surprising. I think I'll need help in a big way. If I can correlate any of it to dance I should be decent enough with strategy assuming I can get the basic mechanics of sword play down. But, I'm worried. Do you think they'll believe me? And will Bambam, Jackson, and Yugyeom be able to keep it a secret? They're all notorious about giving out spoilers and having little to no filter."

Jinyoung's laugh sounded like bells. He threw his head back at the words of his friend. Alone like this he didn't even feel the compulsion to cover his mouth as he let loose with a belly laugh. "You can control them. You always do. Don't underestimate your authority and pull. They really look up to you and rely on you in more ways than you'll ever know. Let's get going. We have a lot of work to do."

Back at the palace, the seven huddled together as Jaebeom and Jinyoung explain the circumstances.

"You're not messing with us?" asked the Maknae who had been on the receiving end of one too many practical jokes from these two.

"Nope. Not even a bit," offered Jaebeom. "In my time you're a dancing maniac. Here, let me show you a poor rendition of one of the dances you choreographed."

Once done dancing, the crew sat looking at him with mouths agape.

"Daebak!" yelled Yugyeom.

"You usually say 'Amaaazing!' in English," offered Jaebeom with a smile.

As he said this, he realized that he felt a warmth running though him that he hadn't felt in years. While the others chattered, he tried to associate that sensation with a time gone past. When was the last time he had felt that kind of...happiness...? Was that what it was?

Over the next few weeks, the seven were even more inseparable than usual. Taking turns, they coached Jaebeom on sword and saber play, archery, and more. Tactical maneuvers that Jaebeom had apparently created and written out in detail were revisited. The seven incorporated the dance moves Jaebeom was teaching them with the battlefield movements until they moved as one.

Jaebeom did make one change that some of the guys complained about. He insisted upon daily bathing and washing of their under and outer garments. It had done little good to control the odor when he was the only hygienic one, so using his leadership position he set down the law. Within a month, the team earned even greater respect from the community and the rest of the palace employees than ever before. He liked to think their cleanliness played a small part in this.

One night, as they sat around a fire on guard duty, Jackson asked the question all had but none had dared to voice. "So where do you think _our_ Jaebeom has been all this time? And if you go back, how will it be when he returns?"

The silence was deafening. A tinge of fear swept across Jaebeom as he envision the earlier warrior version of himself trying to sing and dance at the final Seoul concert. How would that impact the rest of GOT7? Before the shadow that threatened to engulf him could take over completely, Youngjae piped in with, "No worries. No matter the place or the time, Jaebeom is the best and can accomplish whatever he sets his mind to. We've seen that here, so it would be the same anywhere."

With that, Jaebeom's anxiety level calmed down a bit and as they headed to turn in after their shift, Mark patted him reassuringly on the shoulder.

Over the next few months Jaebeom realized that he had always been happy. He had just been so busy that he hadn't allowed himself the luxury of embracing it and enjoying it. Maybe he'd been afraid that it wouldn't last or that it was temporary. At one point he remembered when he had last truly identified himself as happy. It was when he and Jinyoung had been dancing together in the final competition that resulted in them debuting as JJ Project. He had been optimistic and carefree during that time. It was only after they had debuted, and then were forced into hiatus, that he had begun to question himself and the future.

Here he was going on four years with GOT7 and Jaebeom was still waiting for the plug to be pulled; waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. In the meantime, all the joy and fun that was going on around him was not something he dared be a part of. It was like he didn't allow himself to feel the joy for fear of the pain and sense of loss that would come if, when, it ended. How foolish he had been.

That night, before turning in, Jaebeom shared with the others how much they meant to him. He thanked each of them for all the help they had given, the trust they had in him, and, yes, the joy he felt being a part of their lives.

"I don't know how long this will last, but I can tell you that I'm going to enjoy every minute of it while it does rather than worrying about and focusing on when it might end. Whether in this time or the future, you guys are my happiness and I'll never forget that and will be forever grateful," confessed the leader.

The rest of the crew had tears in their eyes. Some, like Jackson who wore his heart on his sleeve, outright cried and hugged him. Jinyoung gave his longtime friend a knowing smile and whispered, "One down. One to go!"

The sun was shining as the plane touched down in Seoul. Jaebeom felt the familiar bump of the landing gear as it made contact with the runway. Startled, he sat bolt right up in his chair, knocking his hat off his head. He bent over to retrieve it at the same time Jinyoung moved to help recover the toppled head gear.

"Good dream," the black haired younger man said with wink, flashing him the cover of his book, "Happiness Through Dreams."

Jaebeom stared at Jinyoung with his mouth agape. Looking a bit like a fish out of water, he finally clamped his mouth shut, snatched the hat and reclined in his seat, stealing furtive glances at his JJP partner.

As they departed the plane, Jaebeom heard Jackson telling Mark that he had the craziest dream ever. Mark merely smiled at him and glanced back at Jaebeom with a knowing look and gave his life time leader a toothy grin.

Jaebeom stepped off the plane, hat and glasses in hand, ear buds secured in his carry on, and with a big smile on his face. His eyes flashed, as they curved into tight crescent moons. There was no need to fake this feeling. He was truly content and happy in a way he only dreamt could be possible.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Photos courtesy of nonesenserambling.WordPress.com as well as dramahaven.com from which I snagged a photo of Kim Jaejoong in the Krdama "Dr. Jin" coupled with a very poor Photoshop of Jaebum's face using PicsArt. Photo of Jinyoung credit to Soompi.com. All other photos - credit to owners


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